IF you haven't driven past the new Harwood Bridge crossing recently, it is going ahead in leaps and bounds.

With cranes draping across the river, the bridge is rapidly taking shape.

Take a look at a time-lapse of the construction in this recent post from the RMS:

Piling is now complete and work to install 144 concrete girders, each up to 44 metres long, is well under way and will continue for around seven months.

Installation of the bridge's headstocks is continuing, with 13 headstocks now in place at the northern end of the bridge. Five headstocks have been placed at the southern end of the bridge and three placed in the river.

There will be changes to the Harwood Bridge lift span opening times to allow for work to continue in the river whilst we build the new bridge over the Clarence River at Harwood.

Until December 2018, the lift span will be available for opening before 6.45am and after 6pm Monday to Friday and before 7.45am and after 5pm on Saturdays. The lift span is available all day Sunday.

Motorists should plan for minor delays during these times. Maritime users should plan their trips accordingly and observe the navigational channel.

The 35 span, 1.5 kilometre crossing is the largest bridge as part of the Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade and will open to traffic in 2020, weather permitting.